Some side projects from known musicians are meant just to be a stress escape, just something different to have fun, enjoy some free time and drinking heavily. If you understand this single truth, you're able to enjoy yourself a lot hearing "Bier Ernst", the new album from ONKEL TOM. Here, you won't find that brutal and catchy Thrash Metal that you're used to hear on SODOM's albums. No, nothing like that, because Angelripper's parallel band (I believe that everyone knows that) is focused on something between old Punk Rock/Hardcore with Rock 'n Roll essence. Obviously some elements of Thrash Metal can be heard in some points, if you can understand that Thrash Metal evolved from the mix between Metal and Punk/Hardcore. And let me tell you: this lack of compromise that the songs bear is rightly what Tom wants, and it's a fun album, indeed. On the album you'll find great simple arrangements, catchy choruses, and heavy doses of alcohol themes on the lyrics. The fun is guaranteed!

The production was done to make the songs understandable to the listeners, to the point you can assimilate each musical arrangement without great efforts. But it wasn't done to be polished, but to be as fresh and organic as they could. I believe that even the album's producer was drunk during the recording sessions...This album is a 2-CD pack, so be sure that you'll need time to hear it. But the songs are not technical exhibitions or something like that. And the fun is sure, for songs like "Ich steh' an der Bar und ich habe kein Geld" (fine Punk Rock energy), "Flasche zu Flasche" and "Wir trinken wenig" (the drunken choruses made me laugh to have pain in my belly, but the vocals are incredible), "Bier, Bier, Bier ist die Seele vom Klavier" (fast and filled with raw energy, this crude Punk Rock song has excellent guitars), the slow melodies of "Hätten wir lieber das Geld vergraben...", the hard Punk tempos and guitars of "Was sind wir Männer doch für'n lustiger Verein", the alcohol stench of "Trunkenbold" and "Bier, Bier, Bier" are the finest moments of the CD 1. But the drunken song "Prost" is hilarious (even flats can be heard on it).

On CD 2, things become aggressive in some moments, as we can hear on "Ich finde nur Metal geil" (a crossover song, with fine vocals and guitars), but the fun begins again on "Ich muss hier raus" and keeps on "Von Arschlöchern für Arschlöcher", "Auf dünnem Eis" and "Das blaue Buch des Lebens". You'll love it! Don't take them seriously, because ONKEL TOM is just about drinking, singing and have tons of fun. That's the true reason for "Bier Ernst" being such a good album.